Cocos (Keeling) Islands: Australian Overseas Territory in Indian
The Keeling or the Cocos Islands are a group of 27 islands and 2 atolls in the Indian Ocean and part of Australian territory. The islands were discovered in 1609 by Captain William Keeling and named after him. It was only in the 19th century when slaves were brought from Indonesia and Cape of Good Hope that these islands first became inhabited. The sparsely populated Coco Islands offers the perfect foil for surfing and scuba diving to the tourist who might want to experience its pristine beauty.
Facts and Stats of Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
- · National Name: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
· Capital: West Island
· Total area: 14 sq km
· Population: 596 (July 2007 est.)
· Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
· Languages: Malay (Cocos dialect), English
· Ethnicity/ Races: Europeans, Cocos Malays
· Religion: Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)
· GDP (Per Capita): NA
· Life Expectancy: NA
· Literacy: NA
Geoghraphy and Climate of Coco Islands:
The Keeling or Cocos Islands consist of two flat atolls that have highest elevation of just 5 metres above sea level. The North Keeling Island atoll is a C-shaped island that measures just 1.1 sq.kms and is uninhabited whereas the South Keeling Islands atoll consists of 26 islets with total area of 13.1 sq. kms. The whole population of just 596 people is concentrated on this atoll. West Island is the capital of Cocos Islands and Bantam is the largest village settlement.
The Keeling Islands enjoys a peasant climate that is moderated by the southeast trade winds and receives moderate rainfall.
Economy and Government of Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
Coconut Plantation and Copra are the two major crops of Keeling Islands and fresh Coconuts are the major export on which the livelihood of the majority depends. Fishing supplements the economy. However, nearly all food items have to be imported from Australia by the islands.
The Coco Islands Governance depends heavily on Australian laws, particularly the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955. Neil Lucas is the current administrator of the Cocos Islands and also the administrator of the Christmas Island.
Tourist Attractions in Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
The Keeling Islands off the Australian Coasts are not to be confused with the Cocos Islands of Guam, which are many miles apart. But the Keeling Islands offer the same range of breathtaking scenery and bountiful beaches to the tourists.
The North Keeling Island forms the Pulu Keeling National Park, which is home to the only surviving and endangered Cocos Buff-banded Rail. The Cocos Islands offers excellent Scuba diving, fishing and surfing opportunities as well.
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